Beneath the Mask
by Nami Swannn
Summary: When Usopp and Nami are separated from their crew, the two "cowards" of the group must work together to overcome challenges, both physical and emotional, and learn that it isn't the mask that makes one brave, but the heart of the person beneath it.
1. Chapter 1

Hello everybody! -Jumps up and down excitedly- I'm back, and I'm sorry I've been away for a while! School is out this week so I will have more time to be working on this story. Anyways, welcome to the first chapter of my new story, Beneath the Mask. I was actually working on ideas for this story long before my Brook-themed story, Undying Devotion, which I finished a few months ago. [Go read it!] I actually got my idea for this story through a dream I had, and it won't be until much later that this scene plays out, but it was what fueled my love for this story to play out.

This story will be centered on Usopp and Nami, as I feel they are an absolutely awesome couple and there just isn't enough love out there for these two together. I haven't really seen any deep stories involving them romantically, so I decided to create my own. : ] It'll be a decent length, my guess right now being around twenty chapters, maybe more. As beautiful as love in first sight can be, I think love is even better when it is developed. Besides, these two have been traveling together for a while now, so I don't think they're just going to fall instantly in love with each other out of the blue. So, without further ado, please enjoy this story, and don't forget to review. : ]

**Unwelcome Memory**

[Music: Treasure Planet- 12 Years Later]

_The day Conomi Island felt its first true terrible loss was dreary and gray, with coiled up black clouds that relentlessly echoed off ear-piercing rolls of thunder. Luminous bolts of lightning scattered across the early evening sky, casting sharp glows across the ocean's surface. Light rain droplets had only just started to emanate towards the island below it, matching the depressed mood of the small mourning group that stood gathered on a cliff at the edge of Cocoyashi Village._

_ A tombstone of the dullest grey stood small and erect at the base of a rectangular ditch, the words "belle-mere" casting shadow with each flash of lightning that smacked around the cliff that jutted outwards over the raging sea. At the foot of the poorly dug grave stood a little girl with bright orange hair that barely met her shoulders. Unwelcome smudges of dirt visibly coated her right cheek, both arms, and kneecaps. On her left upper arm, just below the shoulder, a bright blue tattoo in the shape of a saw-fish stuck out amongst her peach-colored skin, with a faint red mark surrounding the design, indicating that it was recently applied. She had become branded to the monster who killed her mother, and the thought alone was enough to cause bile to build up in her throat and nauseate her stomach._

_ Sharp nails were suddenly pushed into her back, unpleasantly poking the bruised skin against her spine. "Let's get this over with before I feel like killing somebody else," a sarcastic, thick voice dripping with menace urged her. Her stomach churned in disgust as she heard the cruel rumbles of laughter around her, her small ink-stained fingers tightening around the small tangerine she clutched so protectively between her hands. A whimper from her right caused her to raise her eyes up and meet the tear-filled blue orbs of her sister Nojiko, whose only comfort was the scarred hand of Ginko, a man who both girls viewed as a fatherly figure. He did not cry, but his expression read deeply of grief. Looking at the only other two family members Nami ever had, and seeing how they were both so overrun from sorrow only caused her heart to ache even more. She took a deep breath before tearing her gaze away from them, and walked closer to the grave until she hovered above the hole of death._

_ Snug between all the layers of dirt lay a wooden coffin that was already covered in chunks of stray soil. Little spots began to scatter all across the hastily made hunk of auburn lumber that was pitiful as a place of final rest as the falling rain increased in speed, splatting across every surface it touched. Nami's brown eyes grew misty as a lump twisted its way into her throat, making breathing difficult as she at last choked out the tears she'd been holding back since being escorted out of Arlong Park for her mother's burial. She'd tried so hard to be strong for her sister and all the other townsfolk, to show them that she was okay, but in the end, she was still a frightened little girl who had lost her mother._

_ She lifted the tangerine up to her mouth and firmly pressed her lips against it, inhaling the scent that would always remind her of all the happy memories she had of home and Belle-mere. To her, it was much more suitable to be tossed into the grave than any flower, for it was a significant item that held the most meaning to her and her family. It was what she'd eaten almost every day for the past ten years, and what Belle-mere had worked so hard to grow to support her and her two adopted children. To Nami, it wasn't just a fruit, but a sign of love and family, and it was why at that moment, she found herself kissing the small orange fruit and squeezing it carefully against her chest. She closed her eyes as a tear escaped down her cheek, and dropped it. _

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"LET'S GOOOO!" Two rubbery fists pumped up into the air triumphantly before one quickly shot back down to hold back the straw hat that threatened to tip off of the raven locks of the boy's head. Bright white teeth gleamed in excitement as his lips pulled back into a smile, curling up the scar that donned his left cheek, right below his eye. In front of him laid about 20 marines, all unconscious and surrounded by weapons that had hardly been drawn before being plummeted out of their hands by a fist that seemed to have stretched out of nowhere.

Zoro slashed his swords forward, cutting across the chests of the last standing Marines before pulling back and sheathing his swords, his brows furrowed in disappointment. " When are these morons going to start sending stronger opponents? If they want to take up my time then at least make it worthwhile."

Between the Captain and Swordsman stood the blonde chef, exhaling puffs of smoke between his lips as he straightened his tie and leapt over the railing, back towards the Thousand Sunny. He landed smoothly on his feet and headed off to the kitchen, hands sunk into his black pants' pockets. "For once, I think we're in agreement Marimo," he called over his shoulder. "They could at least have let me finish preparing lunch first. Rude shitty bastards " With that said, he walked through the kitchen door, only to back up and wiggle his entire body around as Nico Robin walked past him. She gave him a friendly smile as she clutched her book between her hands and over to one of the lawn chairs scattered across the deck to prepare for another afternoon of reading.

"There's my beauty!" the chef cooed, his pupils dilating into pounding hearts as he swooned over the Archaeologist. He quickly glanced around, his curled eyebrow suddenly furrowed. "Where's my other princess?"

"Hey guys! Wait for me!"

All heads turned over to the Marine ship to see Nami bursting through the double doors on the main floor of the deck, her slender arms heaving two large bags across her back. She had a large grin on her face as she ran towards Zoro, who merely grunted as he lowered his hands palm up, eye rolled in agitation. The orange-haired Navigator jumped onto his hands and smirked proudly as he propelled her and her stolen goods back onto their ship before he himself jumped over to join the rest of his crew. The professional thief landed on something brown and soft, the thick hair cushioning her landing. "Perfect timing Chopper! Thanks!"

She slid off the ball of fur and smoothed her blue shorts as the Doctor transformed back into Genius form and fixed his pink hat. "Of course Nami, but we might want to work on a new routine for you when it comes to jumping across ships. I don't want anybody to get injured." His eyes trailed down to her matching blue shoes. "How you manage to do it all in heels I'll never know."

Nami waved her hand off, not really paying attention. "Yeah, yeah, but look at all this treasure!" The last word came out high-pitched as she undid the knot at the top of one of the bags and gleefully peeked in, her face lighting up as gold pieces sparkled like diamonds.

"COUP DE BURST!"

Horror etched itself onto her face as she realized what was about to happen. Her fingers wrapped around the bags protectively as the Sunny suddenly lurched forward and into the sky, flying at an incredibly fast pace as it soared through the air. Usopp, who only walked upstairs from the men's bedroom to "make sure his orders to defeat the marines had been followed", yelped as he was shot forward and smacked nose-first into the mast Zoro had fallen asleep against. The Swordsman, of course, merely slid around the deck as he continued napping, unaware of what was going on.

"Yo-ho-ho! This is so surprising! I'd hang on for dear life, but I'm already dead!" Brook flew over his crew mates, laughing hysterically along with Luffy as they grabbed onto the sail donning their Jolly Roger, dangling their feet as the wind swept full force against them. Sanji had flipped backwards and landed against the mast above Usopp's smashed face, using the air acceleration to keep him in place. Robin continued to lay on the chair, humored by all the commotion as she was kept in place by multiple arms that had scattered protectively around her (thanks to her Devil Fruit power,) the moment Sunny took off. After flying for about thirty seconds the ship landed right back into the azure waters below with a large splash that sent droplets of salt water onto the deck and landing on a fuming Nami. Her arms were sore from holding the bags so tightly, and her new red tank top that read "Cute" across in white letters was now covered by dark spots of ocean water.

Sanji landed smoothly back on his feet, not even bothering to push back the wrinkles in his ebony suit as he quickly ran over to offer Nami a hand in escorting her back to her feet She allowed him to help, trying to control her anger and not grip his hand too hard. She let go of the chef's grasp and marched forward just as Franky appeared back on deck, looking pretty proud of himself.

"You idiot!" Nami shouted in irritation before the cyborg could even begin to brag about how awesome his ship was. "You not only just wasted barrels of Cola that we could've used in an actual emergency, but I also almost lost my hard-earned treasure!" She sharply pointed to the two bags behind her. "Next time you feel like taking a thrill ride, ask me first!"

Franky crossed his arms and frowned as he peered at her through his sunglasses. "Luffy was the one who wanted me to do it. I only followed the Captain's orders."

"And you actually listen to everything that moron tells you?" She growled and turned away from the blue-haired shipwright, not wanting to waste her time with somebody who would only make her mood worse. She stormed past Usopp, who had finally sat himself up and was popping his elongated nose back into place. Behind him he could hear Luffy giving Nami the raspberry, and the light footsteps belonging to Brook fading off, as did his cheerful humming. Robin's multiple arms had disappeared, leaving her to continue relaxing and enjoying her book, and Zoro, unsurprisingly, was still asleep.

Usopp watched her carefully. Everybody seemed okay, except Nami. Usually when Franky used the Coup de Burst without telling her she would only get irritated and roll her eyes, but she was acting so angry. Something was up with her, and he was going to try and cheer her up.

"Ah Nami, lighten up!" the sharpshooter said in happy voice. "You now have so much gold that you could probably buy a whole island!"

The response he received was not what he had in mind.

Nami's whole figure froze, the bags falling from hands and landing with a heavy thud. Her arms grew limp and hung at her sides, and for a moment she said not a word as her entire back seemed to stiffen. Brook's singing and Luffy and Chopper clapping along were heard from towards the front of the ship, and Zoro's obnoxious snoring seemed to have only heightened in volume within the past minute, but surrounding the few sounds of life was a silence that only spread thicker with each passing second. Confusion continued to grow within Usopp's skull as his thick lips twisted into a frown, wondering why the atmosphere between him and Nami had suddenly become uncomfortable. He looked helplessly over at Sanji, hoping for some sort of indication as to what he could have possibly said that was wrong, but all the cook did was shake his head and stare out at the ocean, unwilling to say anything in Nami's presence.

Nami's shoulders suddenly sagged, and her head seemed to tilt slightly downwards as she slowly walked forward. "Yeah, lucky me huh? Anyways, I'm gonna go relax a little bit. I'll catch you guys later!" Her pace quickened as she reached the stairs and headed below deck to the bedroom she shared with Robin.

Still feeling puzzled, Usopp stood up and rubbed the back of his curly head. Nami had been faking that she was okay, her voice had practically dripped with false cheerfulness. She was obviously upset about something, and he couldn't figure out why.

"Hey, so did I say something wro-"

"Yes." The curly-browed man lowered the stick of tobacco away from his mouth and exhaled a puff of smoke. He tapped the cigarette against his thumb, knocking down amber of ash off the front end. His blue eye met Usopp's chocolate ones. " You can be a real idiot, you know that?"

The sharpshooter glared, his thick eyebrows furrowing. " And just what makes you say that?"

"Well, today just so happens to be the anniversary of her mom's death, though I appear to be the only one smart enough to remember that." Sanji lifted the cigarette back up to his mouth and reinserted it between his lips. "Now think about what you just said, and fill in the blanks."

Realization suddenly dawned on the Sniper, his eyes cast downward as guilt entwined itself within his stomach.

_"You now have so much gold that you could probably buy a whole island!"_

The whole reason for Nami's irritability wasn't his fault, of course, but his words hadn't helped her mood. Instead, he'd made everything worse by reminding her of what her goal had been, what she'd suffered for for eight long years, and on the anniversary of Belle-Mere's death, no less! Regardless of the fact that he'd had no bad intentions, his friend was still upset, and he had to try and do something about it.

With a sigh, Usopp walked past Sanji and proceeded down the stairs, preparing himself for whatever wrath Nami would throw his way.

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[Music: Treasure Planet- Silver Comforts Jim (0:43+)

Thick, brown shoes with rounded fronts dragged down the wooden hallway as he contemplated to himself just what he could exactly say to the temperamental navigator. He stopped in front of her door and took a deep breath, raising his hand to knock. Before his knuckles could even rap against the surface, the sound of crying seemed to appear out of thin air, instantly catching him off guard. The sniffles sounded muffled as if she was crying into a pillow, but they were still clearly there and evident of just how upset she really was.

The guilt increased tenfold as Usopp listened to one of his closest friends breaking down, and decided that he simply couldn't just stand there and leave her alone. It was a rare moment of bravery that took over him, and without asking, he twisted the small golden knob and entered the room.

All the lights were off, but since it was daytime the light from outside pouring in through the circular windows along the white wall gave him enough vision to properly see his surroundings. He immediately looked towards Nami's bed, which was tucked against the back corner of the wall. Her blue comforter lay wrinkled under her curled up form, which was facing away from him and pressed into a pillow. He closed the door quietly behind him and walked over to her bed, trying to hide the pity he felt.

"Nami?"

"I'm fine, just go away."

He sighed and sat down behind her. "You're not okay. You always pretend to be okay when you're not, and I don't know why." He was a damn hypocrite, and he knew it. How many times had he forced a smile or tried to act brave when he was really torn up and shaking on the inside? He reached over to touch her shoulder. "Look, Nami..."

"**I said I'm fine!" **She jerked away from his touch, her entire body shaking as she tried to restrain her emotion from erupting onto the surface. Usopp winced at the loud tone in her voice and pulled away. He wanted to respect her wishes, but at the same time couldn't leave her alone. He knew Luffy wouldn't allow her to cry, so neither should he, the man who was considered a lying coward by many but a warrior among his friends.

Before he could voice his protest against Nami's outburst, she turned around, and what he saw saddened him. Strands of her flame-colored hair clung onto her reddened cheeks that were scrunched up from her trembling mouth, causing her eyes to narrow as tears gathered up before her honey-colored eyes and slid down her face. She looked like an emotional mess, a side of her she always tried to hide to from her friends and rarely showed. "Please," she whispered as more tears continued to dampen her cheeks and hair.

She needed his comfort, needed _him_, and he had to help her. He silently thought for a moment before his face lit up with an idea. He pulled off the goggles that were usually wrapped around the top of his head on his bandanna and slid them over Nami's hair, careful not to tangle her hair into the thing as he did so.

"Hey, what are you-?!"

"Ta-da!" Standing tall and proud, the long-nosed man held his palms out to her as if he was showing off a work of art. She sat there confused, wondering why she was suddenly looked out through his goggles, which were a bit loose against her slightly smaller head. "Luffy always places his hat on your head, so you get to wear my goggles, which are one of my treasures!" He pointed his thumb at himself and grinned like a fool. "I stole those from a dangerous pirate when I was little and had to defend my village!" He raised his arms up and folded them behind his head, sticking his nose up in the air with pride. "Yup! That idiot didn't even see me coming! I saw those babies on his head and had to have them, so now here they are!" He winked. "But don't tell anybody, or that nasty man will try to come for them, and then I'd have to be merciless and beat him up again!"

Nami sat in stunned silence. Clearly, Usopp was once again lying, but the fact that he was doing so to cheer her up made the corners of her mouth turn up. "I think you're the idiot," she sniffled as she rubbed her lower arm under her nose to get rid of any lingering snot. She tried not to laugh as his jaw hit the ground. " I bet you were the one who got your ass kicked."

"N-No I did not!" he stammered as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Besides, I was trying to help you. I know how it feels to lose a mother, you know." The cheerfulness in the room dissipated a little, but at least the tears had stopped, and that was his main goal.

She brought her knees up to her chest. They really did have a lot in common. Both were considered the normal ones in the group, with normal meaning that their fighting skills weren't superior and they didn't have any special powers, though the way Nami could detect the weather perfectly and Usopp's excellent aiming skills could be bragged about quite nicely. Aside from that, they had both lost their mothers when they were younger, something that they didn't really talk about, especially Usopp.

"Do you think about her often?"

His expression turned soft. "All the time. I keep going though, because life won't get any easier, and you have to make the best of it." He knelt down before her, lifting her chin up with gently with his fingers. "I know you miss your mom, and that it's hard to smile sometimes because you know she can't anymore," sadness slipped into his voice, " but you have to keep going. Our moms would want us to make the best of life, and we have to smile more than ever now. We must smile because we're alive, and because we need to make up for the smiles that they've missed and won't be able to have." He tapped the goggles gently. "So let's keep smiling, okay?"

She gaped at him in disbelief. Nami never knew that Usopp could have such a meaningful way with words, but they'd just tumbled out of his mouth, and so perfectly too. She already felt better, and knew that he was right; they had to keep going and and act happy for their moms, and that was what she intended to do.

She grabbed a pillow and whacked him in the face with it. He squeaked like a girl and fell backwards, landing on his behind with a thud. He glared at her as she burst out laughing. "What was that for?!" he demanded, secretly glad that she seemed back to her old self.

Nami grinned cheerfully and took off his goggles. "I usually charge for barging into my room unannounced and getting so close to me, but I think hitting you made us even."

Usopp snatched the eye wear from her outstretched hands and placed them back onto his head before leaping off the ground. "Hmph! I wasn't being a perv! I'm not Sanji or Brook, and I'm not interested, so no worries there!" He walked over to the door, his nose positioned high in the air.

She stretched out and placed the pillow behind her head to lay against. "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. No man out there can resist this beauty." She gestured to herself.

"Yeah, well I certainly can."

She stuck her tongue out. "Whatever," she teased before slipping underneath the covers. Her eyes felt heavy after crying, and she wanted to rest for a while. She watched as he was about to close the door. "Hey, Usopp?"

He stopped, his hand wrapped around the handle, his face turned towards her. "What?"

Nami smiled, a true, genuine smile. "Thank you. I mean it. I'm glad there's somebody else here who understands me."

He returned the smile and stepped out of her room. "You're welcome. Anytime." And with that, he closed the door and left her to rest.


	2. Quick as Lightning

_**Thanks to everybody who had decided to follow and/or favorite this story. : ] I was rather pleased with the results, and I also wish to thank the people who took the time to review the first chapter. I absolutely love to receive reviews, so I would be really grateful if more people could review this chapter, just so I have an idea of what you guys think about the story. They urge me to write faster, they really do. -Sips a glass of wine and eats Chinese food- : ]  
**_

_**Anyways, for those of you who are new to my stories, I apologize for not explaining last chapter about the whole music thing. I like to put down the music that I think is appropriate for each scene so the readers can almost feel like they're watching the story instead of just reading it. I make sure the music is available on YouTube so you can easily look for it, and none of the music have words; they're basically anime/movie/video game scores. Also, if you haven't caught on by now, this story takes place before the whole two year time skip . I wanted Usopp to still be cowardly, as it'll put more meaning into the story. : ]**_

_**Thanks for taking the time to read, and please enjoy!**_

**Chapter 2: Quick as Lightning**

Nami was lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of the ship as it drifted calmly across the ocean's waves. Usually she didn't fall asleep in the middle of the day, but the pitiful Marine ambush from earlier and sobbing like a baby had taken some energy out of her, so she slept. She didn't have an exact idea for how long, but it seemed like only minutes had passed before the gentle shaking of Robin's hand stirred her from her slumber.

"Miss Navigator, our cook wanted me to inform you that dinner is now ready. Would you like me to let you rest a little longer?"

Nami yawned and sat up, shaking her head as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Nah, that's okay. I'll be up there in a few."

Robin smiled and nodded before leaving their room and shutting the door behind her. Groggily, Nami looked over at the digital clock placed on the table between her and Robin's beds, and noticed that the time was ten minutes after six, meaning she'd wasted almost five and a half hours of her day sleeping, when she could have been working on her maps instead. Shaking her head with a self-depreciation sigh, she stretched her arms up and tossed the covers aside, before placing her bare feet on the smooth wooden floor beneath her. She used her arms to push herself upwards and slowly walked over to the other side of the room, where she flipped up a switch and winced as bright light suddenly assaulted her vision. Rubbing her eyes once more, she shifted her feet over to the wide dresser placed directly across from her bed and stared into the mirror, disapproving immediately of the sight she saw before her.

Orange strands of her bangs stuck out at odd angles and her clothes were wrinkled from tossing and turning; her cheeks flushed from being pressed against the pillows and she could feel a slick wetness on her back from sweating beneath the thick covers, causing her shirt to stick to stick to her. Her tongue peeked out of her mouth and licked over her dry lips as she grabbed her red brush and quickly combed the bristles through her slightly knotted hair. Once she was satisfied with her appearance, she slipped on a pair of black sandals, rubbed on some deodorant, and closed the door behind her to join her crew in the dining room.

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"Nami-Swannnn! Welcome, my dear! I prepared a plate especially for you!" Sanji gushed as he grabbed a large plate covered with various fruit and grilled fish and gracefully set it down at an empty spot on the lengthy dining table. Nami nodded her thanks and sat next to Robin, who politely smiled in greeting.

"Dammit Luffy, keep your grubby hands away from my food!" Usopp bickered as he stabbed his fork towards Luffy's stretched fingers. The captain merely laughed as his irritated sniper fought to protect the two remaining pieces of fish left on his plate. Franky rolled his eyes and shuffled more to the right as his bulky forearms walled themselves around his own plate, as he had the displeasure of sitting next to his childish captain on that evening. Mixed in with all the commotion was Zoro and Sanji's usual threats towards each other and Chopper's adorable pleas for the arguing to stop while Brook sat at the head of the table and laughed at Luffy's obnoxious behavior. It was the usual atmosphere that happened at almost every meal, and it was one that Nami welcomed as a distraction for her thoughts. Her eyes met Usopp's, who nodded, and within that simple head movement told Nami that he wouldn't speak a word of what he'd seen earlier to anybody and was glad she was okay.

Grateful that her secret was being kept, the Navigator returned the gesture and focused on the meal in front of her, which was delicious, as expected of the top chef on the Grand Line. She'd managed to thoroughly chew on only a few pieces of cantaloupe before a strange feeling suddenly ran up her spine. Her eyes widened and her fork involuntarily dropped, clanging loudly against the table's surface. Her fingers gripped the table so tightly that her knuckles turned white, her heart pounded with panic. Robin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, eyebrows furrowed with worry. "Nami?"

**[Music: The Chronicles of Narnia:Prince Caspian- Prince Caspian Flees 1:08+]**

All the commotion stopped as every set of eyes in the room focused on the young woman who had snapped her head towards the deck. "There's a really powerful storm coming! We need to move!" Nami quickly stood up and ran outside, leaving her friends stunned for a moment before following her.

"But we're still eatinggg!" Luffy whined as Usopp grabbed him and pulled him towards the door. He stretched his fingers out to try and grab one more handful of the left over food but was snapped backwards as Usopp grunted and pulled with all his might. The two flew out of the kitchen and smacked into the mast, which resulted in Luffy laughing as he usually did and Usopp laying face down and groaning in pain.

"C'mon you two, let's move," Zoro grunted as he walked past them and climbed up the mast's ladder. Luffy followed after him while Usopp rubbed his aching head and ran to help Chopper secure the anchor. All positions were taken, with Franky standing at the helm to await orders and Robin and Brook standing nearby to assist however they could. Nami stood at the helm and focused on the direction the wind was blowing from, eyes narrowed in concentration. The sky was clear at the moment, and the water calm, but weather on the Grand Line was unpredictable. She had steered the crew safely through so many storms, and her weather predictions were never wrong, which was why they didn't question her now, regardless of how nice the weather currently was.

Patiently, Nami waited for the storm to strike, and she didn't have to wait very long. A large gust of wind collided with the sails, propelling the ship forward. "Franky, turn hard North!" she barked out. " Steady the sails! Hold on!" The sky overhead darkened to nearly pitch black in only seconds as lightning struck the sea and rain heavily fell. Thunder rumbled and echoed all around them; waves grew larger and smashed against the sides of the ship. Nami continued to shout directions, making sure to keep her voice steady and authoritative, though part of her was trembling. Lightning shot down every other second, increasing the chances of making contact with the Thousand Sunny, and the continuing sound of thunder pounding mercilessly against her ears. She'd never seen such a terrible storm before! She could hear the grunts and cursing as her friends tried to hang on and focus on making it out alive. Fighting physical beings were one thing, but taking on Mother Nature was a battle that could instantly result in death, and she didn't even know how the Hell they were to going to make it out without being hit.

Nami sped towards the left side of the ship and gripped the railings as she scrambled to figure out what direction they should head in, eyes darting around in every direction as her senses fought against each other to decide on a course. Usopp appeared behind her with Chopper, his hands covering as his ears as another round of thunder roared above them, the reindeer mimicking his movements with his hooves.

"Nami, what do we do?!" the sharpshooter panicked, his eyes darting back and forth in worry. Chopper bounded over in his Heavy Point towards Franky to help with steering, as the cyborg was struggling to control the wheel against the raging waves, even with the assistance of Robin's cloned arms. Nami squeezed her eyes shut and frantically threw her arms in the air.

"I don't know! There's wind coming from all directions and the lightning won't stop! This storm isn't natural, even for the Grand Line!" She didn't mean to worry Usopp even more, but she didn't know what to possibly say, and lying to him when their lives were on the line didn't seem like the right thing to do. His eyes widened in terror and his mouth dropped open, Nami looking away to ignore his panicked face as she tried to think of a plan to get them out of harm's way.

Before she could even come up with any ideas, a bright flash of lightning struck against their side of the ship. The railing split apart like seams like on a cloth, and Nami fell backwards with a scream. Her arms stretched outwards as she tried to grab onto anything to prevent her from falling off, but her fingers only grasped air before she fell painfully into the water on her back. Usopp fell after her, his screams matching hers until he smacked into the ocean, and they both disappeared beneath the raging waves.

Nami cringed as a sharp pain spread across her back, her mouth opening to cry out only to met with the burning taste of saltwater. She pushed against the water to propel herself upwards, consumed by fear as she realized she couldn't tell just what direction she was facing. Trying to calm herself down, she allowed herself to stop struggling and float upwards towards the surface, trying to ignore the blackness that surrounded her and threatened to swallow her up. It wasn't until she felt the cold air on her face that she allowed herself to breathe and cough out the water that burnt her throat. She rubbed her wet fingertips across her eyes to clear away all droplets that blurred her vision, and hastily looked around her for any signs of her long-nosed friend.

"Usopp!" she screamed, erupting into a quick coughing fit before calling his name once again. She frantically spun her body around, looking for any trace of him, her heart gripped with dread. "Usopp where are you?!" Her cries grew more desperate when she turned around and realized that the Sunny had drifted far away from her, leaving her alone and tired in the middle of the world's most dangerous ocean. She would never be able to reach the ship in her body's current condition, what with the storm and how great the distance was. As she frantically tried to figure out what to do, her eyes suddenly fell upon a floating body lying face down in the water.

"Usopp!" Nami fought against her burning muscles and swam over to him, her body growing more and more exhausted as she pushed back against the waves that threatened to swallow her. She at last reached him and grabbed his shoulder, grunting as she spun him over so he could breathe. She placed her hand on his chest and felt a shimmer of relief as his heart pounded beneath her chest. With an arm wrapped securely around his waist, she propelled them forward, unsure of exactly where they were headed but knowing that they had to try and find land.

"I'm not going to die, I have to map the world. I'm not going to die, I have to map the world!" she repeated to herself between mouthfuls of water as wave upon wave crashed over her head. She held Usopp in a firm grip, refusing to let go of him, even as her fingers began to painfully lock into place and she fought for air for her aching lungs. She wasn't entirely sure how long she'd been swimming and fighting for their lives but eventually the ocean settled down and the thunder and lightning slowed down until they ceased to exist altogether. She sighed in relief as she realized that they'd survived the storm, but she knew that only half of the battle had been won; they were still in danger as long as they were floating out in the open, but there was nothing to really be done about it, so all she could do was relax and hope that fate would be kind to her.

Nami floated on her back next to Usopp, who was still unconscious but thankfully breathing, as his chest continued to rise and fall with each deep breath he took. His bandanna and goggles were still on his head, giving Nami an idea to make sure her and Usopp didn't separate. She weakly reached up and carefully pulled his bandanna out from beneath the goggles and pulled it over his drenched curls. She then put her and Usopp's wrists against each other and used the green piece of cloth to bound their arms together, making sure the knot was tight so they couldn't split up.

Satisfied with their link, she allowed herself to finally lay back and let the waters guide them. Her eyes grew heavy as she focused on the darkening sky above them, the colors of sunset stretched upwards towards the heavens. Nami's entire body suddenly grew limp as fatigue took over, her last conscious thoughts being of amusement as she realized that her life could have ended on the same date her mother lost her life, and just how ironic everything really was. The two Strawhats slept, unaware of what tomorrow would bring, and allowed themselves to drift towards the unknown.


	3. A World of its Own

_**Phew! Chapter 3 is up, and I'm sooo sorry for the long wait! I'm not entirely sure why it took me so long, but I'm sorry all the same! Thanks to everybody who reviewed, favorited, and/or followed this story! Next chapter will be up much sooner!**_

Chapter 3: A World Of Its Own

The sound of the ocean, that was the first thing she recognized; that, and the hot sensation of sand being pressed against her back. Darkness evaded as blazing sunlight shone through her closed eyelids. Her thick eyelashes fluttered before they slowly lifted up, causing her pupils to meet the sight of a cloudless cerulean sky.

Her entire body felt sore, especially her arms and legs. Her throat and lips were torrid and felt like they were on fire, her clothes and hair damp, and even her eyes still stung a little from being pushed beneath the water multiple times. She raised her arm up warily to try and create a shadow over her face, hoping to lessen the effulgence of the sun's glare, but grunted as she realized her arm was being held back by something. She looked over to the side and was met face-to-face with an unconscious Usopp.

Relieved that they hadn't separated, but worried that he was still passed out, Nami quickly undid his bandanna's knot so their arms were no longer bound together, and placed a hand over his slightly parted lips. She could feel little wisps of air coming out, so at least he was still breathing. Her shoulders sagged in relief that they'd both made it through the night, especially with their accidental encampment, but where they made it to was an entirely different matter.

With a raspy cough she looked at her surroundings and saw that they were indeed on a beach of some kind, but they were completely alone and laying very close to where the water gently lapped against the sandy shore. Behind them were tall trees, suggesting entrance into a forest, and from within echoed the faint sounds of birds, many of which Nami didn't recognize. The temperature was luckily not too high, matching only the heat of a normal day on a Spring Island. A soft breeze whispered across her skin that had slightly darkened from laying beneath the sun for at least half the day, and hopefully not any longer than that. Her stomach growled, and her throat thirsted for water. She couldn't lay here all day; now was the time to move.

"Usopp." No response.

"Usopp!" Louder this time, but not even a twitch. Growing aggravated, she slapped him across the face.

"USOPP!"

With a startled cry, the sharpshooter shot straight up as if he was an undead suddenly coming back to life. He rubbed his hand over his aching cheek and glared at Nami, who was impatiently watching him. "What the Hell?" he hissed in a cracked voice before he also burst into a coughing fit and dramatically fell backwards onto the sand. "Waterrr! I need waterrr!" He shakily raised his arm up into the air as if he could pull water droplets out from the space above him, the other hand clutching his chest to prevent an unforeseen heart attack.

With a shake of her head, Nami stood up and gently kicked him in his arm, ignoring his protesting whimper. "Usopp, we need to move our asses and figure out where the Hell we are. You really want to lay out here and die?" Her voice had risen in volume, but not at the shouting level she usually used when lecturing or getting pissed off at the crew. Even though she'd rested throughout the night, her body still felt exhausted and she didn't have the energy to yell.

With a defeated whine Usopp at last forced himself to stand up and staggered over to Nami's side, shoulders slumped and arms hanging limply at his sides. It was only then that he noticed the forest in front of them, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Uh...where are we?"

Gritting her teeth, Nami slapped herself on the forehead and took a deep breath to clear away the frustration. "That's what I was just telling you! Is there still saltwater in your ears?!"

Suddenly, images of the night before shot through Usopp's mind. He remembered the inclement lightning, heavy rain, and then falling off the ship after Nami. Everything else was a blur. "Nami...we're separated from our crew, aren't we?" The Navigator didn't look at him, her eyes instead cast downwards towards her feet which she had buried in the sand.

**[Music: Dinosaur- They're All Gone]**

"Yes, we are. It was my job to steer you guys to safety, but instead I wound up getting us tossed into the sea." She bit her lower lip and guiltily looked Usopp right in the eyes. "I don't know what happened, but I'm sorry it did."

Usopp placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's alright. Besides, if it wasn't for you I'd probably be dead right now, right? You did the best you could, and at least we survived." He grinned. "The great Captain Usopp lives to see another day!"

With a small but appreciate smile, Nami nodded her head and handed Usopp his bandanna. "Sorry, but I needed to borrow this to make sure we didn't get separated."

The sharpshooter rubbed his fingers through his ebony hair in surprise. "I didn't even notice it was gone!" He rubbed the green cloth against his face like it was his child, while Nami rolled her eyes.

"Come on, we need to move." She gestured for him to follow, which he did as he slipped his bandana back on and wrapped it securely around his head. They made their way towards the forest and cautiously entered, Usopp's knees shaking, as they usually did when entering an unfamiliar place where danger could possibly lurk.

The moment they entered they were swamped by the shadows of the trees that loomed high above them, their branches stretched outwards like fingers splayed across the sky. An aroma of earth infiltrated their noses as they continued walking forward, weaving in and out between trees and trying to avoid stepping over roots deep rights that had expanded across the dirt surface. A gentle wind glided amidst the trees that spread a susurrus among the branches and brought slight chill on the pirates' exposed flesh.

Through the forest they walked in silence, eying their surroundings for any signs of danger or clues as to where they were. For the most part, the forest was quiet, with only the occasional bird squawk to disturb the peace. It was almost too quiet though, something neither of them were used to. The atmosphere back on Sunny was also loud and eventful, and at the moment it was greatly missed.

"Do you think they're okay?" Usopp suddenly asked, unable to fight the nagging feeling of worry that had continually assaulted him since he woke up. His ebony eyes met her light-brown ones, and he immediately knew her answer.

"I don't know," she honestly replied. "They may be strong, but the Grand Line is our toughest enemy. We struggled with a Navigator, and that didn't turn out so well." She glanced away ashamed. "I don't know how they are going to survive without one. I only hope Robin or Franky can lead them towards safety."

It wasn't the answer Usopp was hoping to hear, but it was the truth nonetheless, something that he probably wouldn't have been able to speak if he was in Nami's position. He playfully punched her arm, hoping for at least some sort of reaction from her. She only looked at him with a raised eyebrow, but it was better than nothing.

"You know, our crew does have the dumbest luck. I'm terrified for them, but something tells me they will be okay." Nami watched him with interest. "Heck, I've fought Neptune himself, and let me tell you, that bastard was strong, but I was stronger! Of course, I'm the Great and Mighty Usopp, so there wasn't even a challenge for me. However, Luffy and the others are close to my level, so I think they're going to kick ass and find us!" He wasn't entirely sure if he was trying to convince himself or Nami, but either way, it brought a smirk to her face.

"Neptune? Seriously? Is that the best you can come up with?"

"Hey, I'm not lying! It's true, and I'll even challenge all the Gods to take me on if I have to prove it to you!" _Please don't!_

"Yeah, yeah whatever!" Nami waved her hand at him to shut him up, but she was glad he was trying to cheer her up. It was the third time he'd done so within the past 24 hours, which was simply too many times. She stuck her head in the air, full of renewed determination as she inwardly vowed to stop the self-pity and survive until the rest of their crew found them.

After walking for several more minutes, with the only sound being Usopp's attempt at whistling and trying to create a canorous atmosphere, the ground began to slope upwards into a hill that was spotted with large boulders and thinner trees.

"Sheesh, this is a pain in the ass," Nami sighed as she forced her aching muscles to climb uphill. She wiped away a bead of sweat that had gathered on her forehead, wishing for nothing more than a place to bathe and a new pair of clothes.

Usopp trudged along in a torpid manner behind her, occasionally grabbing on to a nearby boulder to help steady himself before he could fall face-first into the lumps of dirt and grass surrounding his water-soaked shoes. "I'm hungryyyy," he groaned while aggravatingly swatting away a pesky fly and clutching his grumbling stomach.

" We'll eat as soon as we find something, but we have to keep going," she insisted, trying to ignore her own hunger pains as she pushed on. At last she reached the top of the hill, her hands on her knees to catch her breath before looking up. When she did, she was left gaping in wonder, her eyes wide as saucers.

"Usopp," she at last managed to say. "You need to come see this."

Unsure as to what could Nami could be talking about, the sharpshooter raised a question brow but continued to walk, hoping that maybe she had at least seen some food or even a town. When he made it to her side, he stared ahead, and found himself slack-jawed at the sight before him.

A long river of the brightest blue curved for what appeared to be miles. Flamingos stood in the water, perfectly balanced on one leg as a flock of bright white birds flew above them. Other hills could been seen in the distance, surrounded on all sides by even more trees that swayed gently in the wind and housed even more birds that sung their tunes in jovial harmony. A mixture of verdant and azure collided with each other under bright sunlight, creating a scene of paradise.

"Wow," Usopp breathed. Nami nodded her head in agreement, preparing herself to venture down the hill, but was stopped when she heard a little cheer coming from the man next to her.

"Nami! There's a city straight ahead!" Usopp cheerfully announced, his index finder pointed directly in front of him, practically quivering in excitement.

Hope pulsed through her veins as she eagerly searched the horizon line for any signs of human life. Sure enough, she spotted a thin cloud of smoke curling itself upwards before vanishing within the the air; it wasn't thick enough to be from a fire, so it had to be coming from a building of some smart.

"Then I guess that's where we go," she pointed out. The two of them exchanged cheerful grins before they slowly descended down the hill, grabbing carefully on to any trees they came across to prevent them from losing their footing. They reached the bottom and quickly headed over towards the direction they'd seen the river, desperate to ease their dry throats and possibly fill their stomachs with fish.

Within moments they reached the river, it surface sparkled like diamonds under the sun's rays and rippled as the flamingos took off,seemingly uninterested in associating themselves with strangers.

_"About damn time!"_ Nami thought thought with relief as she bounded towards the water and cupped her hands together before placing them beneath the river. She scooped the water up and sipped it through her mouth, relishing in the moment as cold liquid poured down her throat and seemed to automatically dissipate the heat. A movement from the corner of her eyes captivated her attention, and before she could say anything Usopp trudged through the water, his feet bare, and dove face-first towards the mobile object, splashing her face in the process. She frowned and wiped away the dripping droplets.

"Seriously Usopp?!" She shook her head, feeling like she was reprimanding a child, but was secretly glad at how much the splash had actually cooled her down.

He proudly stood up and showed off his capture- a fish with bright red scales that glistened in the sunlight as it helplessly wriggled around and fought for its freedom. He marched back onto dry land, shaking off any excess water that still clung to his feet. "I suppose we should get a fire started huh? Now, let's see..." He looked around for any possible materials while Nami splashed water onto her face and tried to rub the sweat and faint dirt streaks off. A shadow suddenly surrounded her, bringing a cooling sensation to her back as the sun's heat was temporarily blocked. Goosebumps crawled up her arm as she noticed that above her reflection was a creature that stared straight at her.

With a squeak, she spun her head around, mouth dropped open in shock. A large yellow bird that looked to be a crossover between a duck and peacock peered down at her with a smile on his bill. "Ka!"

Nami slowly stood up and placed a hand against the side of the bird's beak. It closed its eyes and nudged against her palm, content and happy, while Nami stared at him in disbelief. "Biri? Is that you?"

_**Just so you guys know, Biri is a character from the 10th One Piece Movie, Strong World. He's basically a yellow bird with a long yellow peacock tail, red feather on his head, red around his eyes, a duck's beak, and conducts lightning. The English translation is Billy, but they call him Biri in the movie, which I think sounds much better.** _


	4. Hidden

_**Woo hoo! Chapter 4 is now up! Thanks to everybody who was kind enough to review, favorite, and/or follow this story! You all get pie! [Because I'm not a cake person!]**_

**Chapter 4: Hidden**

A pregnant silence engulfed the orange-haired navigator and bird as she stared completely speechless into the black-orbed eyes of a friend she hadn't seen since Shiki's defeat. After the floating islands had returned back to the Grand Line and Shiki was arrested, their short-term ally Biri had taken his leave to return back to his habitat, much to Luffy's disappointment. The electrical bird had not only helped Nami to escape from Shiki's clutches, but provided lightning to assist Luffy in bringing down the maniacal sword-legged pirate who had threatened to completely destroy the East Blue. To see Biri after a few months was a surprise, but a pleasant one at that.

"Nami! I got the fire starte...Woah!" Usopp's eyes doubled in size as he saw the large bird being petted by Nami. His mouth dropped open for only a moment before tears clouded his eyes as he least happily over to wrap his arms around Biri's neck. "Biri! You're back! Oh this is wonderfullll!" He sobbed into the bird's feathers, only to shriek as static from the tips of Biri's wings shocked him and sent him jumping backwards.

"Ka!" Biri apologetically called out, his head hanging down in shame at having unintentionally hurt his friend. Sometimes he would spurt out little bursts of electricity whenever he felt threatened, upset or excited. It was something he still didn't entirely know how to control, though he'd definitely improved since Nami first met him.

Usopp raised his slightly charred fingers and forced a smile. "Aw it's alright! I'm happy to see you too!" Biri's spirits seemed to lift up as he tilted his head back and cried out happily, grateful that his long-nosed friend was at least alright.

Throughout the brief reunion scene, quite a few thoughts and ideas had filled Nami's head, along with some questions that she wasn't entirely sure would be answered. Still, certain things were starting to make sense, especially when she considered how unnaturally severe the storm was. She should've been able to know what do right away, yet her senses had been all jumbled up. She stared at Biri, and at once realization dawned on her.

"You were following us, weren't you Biri?"

Both Biri and Usopp looked over at the Navigator, who had placed her index finger beneath her lips while in deep thought. "That explains why the storm was so unpredictable for me, and the lightning so terrible."

Biri hung his head in shame, his feathers drooping downwards like a wilting flower. "Ka..."

Nami smiled and gave him a pat on the beak, causing his feathers to lift back up. "Hey, it's fine. We'll get back to them."

"As long as we get to the city, we should be fine, right?" Usopp asked.

"I suppose, but we'll need money once we get there. I can probably just steal and pickpocket until we're found again." She grinned devilishly, her eyes glowing with greed.

Usopp sighed, knowing she was already long gone in Thief mode. Biri spread his feathers out and cheered her on. " Alright, well we should at least eat first before going anywhere." As if on cue, his stomach loudly rumbled. "I feel like haven't eaten in years!" he wailed as he dramatically fell to his knees and clutched his stomach.

A light bulb seemed to suddenly go off in Biri's head and he swished his head around to face the river with a determined expression. He walked into the water, his movements followed by Nami and Usopp's inquisitive stares, and stuck his head up proudly. "KA!" A burst of electricity shot through his body and zapped the water, releasing a blinding flash that lasted only a few seconds before disappearing and revealing about five large fish floating belly-up. He spread his wings out and let out a cheerful cry to show off what he'd proudly accomplished. Nami and Usopp slowly glanced at each other and then back at the dead fish.

After a moment of shocked silence, their faces lit up and Usopp excitedly ran to grab their dinner. " Woo hoo! You're awesome Biri!"

"Ka!"

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By the time the sun was beginning to set, all five fish had been roasted and consumed. Nami was fine with only one, while Biri and Usopp each had two to satisfy their cravings. Feeling sluggish and sleepy, Nami urged that they find a place to rest for the night, preferably not out in the open in case any enemies were to cross their path. With a tired agreement, all three of them moved forward and kept their eyes open for any possible shelter.

After walking for almost 15 minutes, Nami suddenly paused and glanced over to her right. Usopp and Biri also stopped and questioningly followed her eye movement, for all they could see were just even more trees and bushes.

"What is it Nami?" Usopp's knees began to shake a little at the thought of possible being attacked.

Nami raised a finger up to silence him before a smile crossed her face. "Do you hear that?"

Biting his lower lip in confusion, Usopp walked a little ahead of Nami and listened carefully. His eyes suddenly widened and he found himself grinning as he looked back at Nami, who nodded her head in confirmation. Biri wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but he followed his two friends as they walked through the bushes and side-stepped around some trees.

The noise they'd heard suddenly grew louder and louder with each step they took until even Biri recognized it. They at last emerged into a small area that had an immense waterfall that loomed over their heads and fell into a small body of water beneath it like a silk curtain of cerulean. With trees surrounding their location, the area felt private and seemed to private a sense of security.

Nami walked forward, took her shoes off, and slid her aching feet beneath the water. She blissfully sighed and wiggled her toes, relaxing as the cool liquid massaged each foot. Biri plopped down next to her and stuck his beak in the pool, guzzling up the liquid in hefty amounts before he let out a little burp.

"Hey Nami, there's a cave behind here!" Usopp suddenly called out from behind the waterfall. The Navigator pulled her feet out of the water and walked over to where he stood, her bare feet padding against the smooth-stoned surface that was like a little marble floor surrounding a pool. A gentle mist tickled her skin as she peeked behind the column of water to get a better look at the inner space he'd discovered.

The cave was a little taller than she was, and could fit maybe five or six people. The entire space was a dull gray color, and the floors a smooth surface that matched that one outside of it's curved inner walls. It smelt strongly of moisture and plants, but it wasn't unpleasant, as it only matched the natural setting they were in and seemed to bring a sense of calm to their temporary home. She nodded her head in satisfaction, earning a pleased smirk from Usopp. Truthfully, she hadn't been expecting to find shelter, and was thankful that Lady Luck was on their side at the moment.

"Of course, the Great Captain Usopp never fails!" The Sharpshooter had struck a pose with his finger pointed upward and a thumb jabbed into his chest, waiting to be praised for his magnificent find, only to notice after a few seconds of silence that Nami had walked off and not bothered paying attention to his prideful boast. He frowned and followed after her, mumbling to himself about people not knowing how great of a captain and warrior he was.

Nami sat at the edge of the pool once more and stuck her legs beneath the water before she herself slid in, shivering slightly as the cooling temperature caressed her body. The water went up to about her shoulders, and then down to the top of her chest if she stood on her tip toes. When she saw Usopp approaching the water, she splashed at him with a mischievous grin while he hopped over to the side in a defensive stance to avoid getting wet.

"Aww c'mon Usopp! Swim for a bit! You probably smell like body odor anyways," she teased with her tongue sticking out of her mouth.

He glared at her, and then looked over at Biri for any sort of support against Nami's blunt words, but the giant duck had also jumped into the water and was leisurely floating around. With a surrendering huff, Usopp took his shirt off, revealing a thin frame with a little muscle built beneath his chest and arms, tossed it to the side, and jumped in.

"D-damn this is cold!" he trembled while rubbing his arms up and down. He stood on his tiptoes and began bouncing around to bring some warmth back, only to stop when he saw Nami standing beside him with a cocked brow.

"You're such a baby," she snickered.

"A baby huh?" Usopp backed away slowly, smiling evilly. "Can a baby do this?" He smacked his arm into the water and pushed forth a large wave. "In your face Nami!" he crowed in triumph.

Nami laughed and covered her face as a large splash crashed against her. She submerged her beneath the water and opened her eyes, seeing only walls mixed of pebbles and dirt. A few fish colored either red, blue or violet and covered in white or black stripes hastily swam away as she pushed her arms out like oars and propelled herself forward to get a better look at the comestible creatures. Their beady eyes seemed to dart back and forth cautiously, like they were speaking their own language to each other through rapid eye movements. She decided to not bother them anymore, as she'd only wanted to try and guess what species they were, and so she resurfaced, her head popping up next to Usopp. The Shapshooter had decided to float on his back with his arms and legs spread out like he was attempting to make a water angel. He shrieked in surprised as Nami leapt up and pushed her hands down against his chest to dunk his body beneath the cool surface. His arms flailed around before he popped back up and coughed out water like he was choking, all while Nami stood innocently nearby and watched him.

"Hey! What the Hell was that for?!" The Sniper croaked as he held his nose to try and lessen the burning feeling from his accidental nasal intake of water.

"Aw, what do you mean Usopp?" She fluttered her eyelashes. "I don't know what you're talking about." She squeaked as he dove towards her and hurled walls of water at her face, accepting the challenge she had thrust upon him. Biri squawked in annoyance as his feathers grew damp before swimming over to one of the edges and hopping right out, shaking his head to fling off unwanted droplets as he made his way over to the cave and plopped himself down.

The two Strawhats swam around, splashing and dunking each other like two children playing in a pool. In situations that sometimes felt hopeless, they'd learned that the best thing to do was make the most of it, no matter how scared or uncertain they felt. Nami didn't usually act childish, as she was the one often reprimanding Luffy and the other men about their immature and reckless behavior, but she honestly didn't mind. It was great to let go and have fun, especially when things seemed bleak, so as she smacked water into her friend's face and dunked repeatedly dunked him, she found herself laughing and not thinking about the fact that they were separated from their friends and lost on some strange island.

For another ten minutes they played and floated around in the water, their laughter and teasing yells bouncing off the surrounding trees and waterfall as night slowly fell upon them. At last, with tired limbs, soaked clothes, and wrinkled fingertips, they climbed out of the mini pool and collapsed on their backs, drenched and cold.

"So, I believe I just kicked your ass," Nami taunted with a grin.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure you're the one who was just dominated." Usopp stuck his nose proudly upwards, a content smile on his face. "Don't feel bad though; nobody ever faces me and comes out unscathed."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever you say."

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**[Music: Alice in Wonderland- Only a Dream]**

They sat next to each other, the small fire Usopp had managed to start with a spark of two stones and fallen branches crackled behind them and warmed their backs as they faced the water. The onyx sky was splattered with milky dots that twinkled around the glowing full moon that poured forth its light onto the island nestled below it. They two pirates felt exhausted, but were unable to fall asleep yet. While Usopp had run around gathering materials earlier, Nami had shed her clothes and laid them out to dry. She'd hid behind Biri, using his feathers not only to retain privacy but to also dry herself, just as she'd done when Luffy had found her and Biri running around on the floating islands, with her wearing nothing but a damp bikini. Usopp had then built a fire next to her clothes, and called out to her when they were decently dry, and by that time the sun had fully disappeared beneath the horizon, bringing them to their current situation.

"You know what's weird?" Usopp looked at the Navigator, an eyebrow raised questioningly at her sudden thought. "We usually end up together whenever we're separated from everybody else, and I wonder if it's just a funny joke fate is playing on us."

He scrunched his lips and stared straight ahead, focusing on the down pouring of the waterfall. "Now that you mention it, we do end up being in the same group a lot. Let's see, there was Thriller Bark..." he began counting off his fingers, "Loguetown, Little Garden..."

" ...When we first arrived at Water 7, when you and Chopper saved me from the explosion at Shiki's fortress, taking care of the Horn Eaters on the Island of Strange Animals..."

"...Competing on Omatsuri Island, the caves on Woonan Island, and now on this strange island," Usopp finished, marking off his ninth finger. He looked impressed. "Wow, I guess that is a lot, huh?" He looked back at Nami. "But why is it like a joke?"

"Well, you and I are what others might consider to be the "normal ones" in the group." She made air quotations with her fingers. "We're not fantastic fighters like Zoro, Luffy, Franky and Sanji, and we don't have Devil Fruit Powers."

"Yeah, but we do have our own talents," Usopp pointed out. " I'm the best sharpshooter to ever exist, and your navigation and mapping skills always help us out!"

"Well, I'm not sure you're the best one to ever exist," she quipped, amused at his huff. " You are pretty good though, I suppose, not to mention I think I've done a pretty great job with the Climatact _you_ made for me.''

He raised his hand up to indicate a high five. "We make a pretty great team, at least I think so." He grinned.

She nodded, the corners of her mouth turned upwards as she slapped her palm against his, a smacking sound breaking through the silence of night. "Yeah, I suppose, even though you're kind of a wimp."

His mouth dropped open, his eyebrows furrowing. "Excuse me?! I am most certainly not a wimp! I just don't like death!" he sputtered. "Besides, you're the one who runs away every time you see a little defenseless bug!"

A chill ran up her spine as he mentioned the grotesque creatures she wished would just disappear from existence altogether. "Hey, bugs are gross! They pinch and fly and...ugh!" She shuddered in repulsion.

The raven-haired pirate suddenly stretched his arms upwards and let out a loud yawn, tears springing to his eyes as he squeezed them shut. The orange-haired pirate also yawned, and on that signal there seemed to be a mutual agreement that perhaps going to bed was a good idea. Usopp stuck his shoe in the water and then stomped on the fire to put it out, thin wisps of smoke welling upwards only a little before completely vaporizing into thin air.

The two of them walked back to the cave, trying to avoid the mist of the waterfall as they entered the spacious compartment and laid on their backs. Both of them placed their heads against the opposite sides of Biri, with Usopp being the one closest to the cave entrance while Nami was near the back wall. The bird didn't seem to mind the slight pressure added to his wings; he only continued to gently snore. They lay there in silence, both letting their eyelids grow heavy as the lulling sound of the waterfall helped them rise to meet sleep.

"Nami?"

She stirred, but kept her eyes shut. "What?"

" Everything will turn out okay, right?" His eyes were halfway closed, but he wouldn't be able to sleep without some sort of confirmation to ease the worries that had continued gnawing at the back of his mind since they'd woken up on the shore earlier that day.

Nami's eyes slowly opened, focusing on the wall in front of her. She took a deep breath and wrapped her arms protectively around herself. "I hope so Usopp...I really do."


	5. The City At Last!

_**Guys..I don't think I can even begin to explain how sorry I am for making you all wait. It honestly wasn't really because I was lazy. My laptop screen somehow ended up with a huge crack in it, and I'd actually already started this chapter on there over two months ago. I'd expected to have the damn thing back by now and I still don't, so I finally got fed up and decided to start the chapter over on my sister's laptop. I started this last night and spent a couple hours today finishing it. I plan on working on a couple drawings for this story when school work doesn't occupy my time. Maybe I'll even start on the next chapter tomorrow night. : ] **_

_**To those of you who have stayed with me so far and continue to watch and favorite this story-I seriously thank you. I feel so awful that almost three months have passed since I last updated, and I don't tend to let that happen ever again. So, without further ado, I present to you the long awaited chapter five of my story. : ] Please enjoy!**_

**Chapter 5: The City At Last!**

Nami awoke to the sound of Usopp groaning, her vision groggy and blurry as she slowly opened her eyes. Unlike Zoro, she was a very light sleeper, so it didn't take very much to wake her up. Grunting in irritation at having her sleep disturbed, she sat up and stretched with a wide yawn before pushing a hand into her lower back to try and press out any uncomfortable knots in her spine. Her entire body felt stiff from having slept on a solid surface all night, and having little pebbles poking themselves into her back didn't exactly help.

"No…Luffy...my…food."

With a frown, Nami peeked over Biri's feathered wings and saw Usopp curled up with his back pressed against the other wing of the giant yellow bird. The sun's rays had managed to push through the cobalt curtain of the waterfall and shimmer into their little hideout. Little bands of golden light crawled over the long nosed man's facial features and landed on his closed eyelids, disturbing the pupils beneath the folds of tan skin. The Sniper let out a snore before he turned towards Nami's direction to avoid the light. His thick lips parted, and a trail of drool dripped down his curved jaw.

_Oh gross._ Nami wrinkled her nose in disgust and stood up. She carefully stepped over Biri's lengthy tail and positioned herself at the base of Usopp's bare feet, her hands placed on her curvaceous hips as she watched him continue to sleep without a care in the world. She shook her head with a sigh, and then gently kicked his foot. He gave a startled snort, but that was the only reaction she received. He continued to sleep like an idiot, and that's when she decided she'd had enough. With an evil grin, she walked behind him and firmly kicked him in the rear.

"Aiyeee!" He jolted awake with a high-pitched scream, which woke the slumbering bird with a surprised squawk. Once he deduced that they weren't actually under attack, he rubbed his now sore bum and glared at Nami, who grinned innocently at him with her hands placed behind her back. "Was that necessary Nami?!" he complained, Biri cawing in agreement with the black haired pirate.

"I probably wouldn't have done that if you'd just responded the first time," she defended with her tongue sticking out and an eyelid closed. "Anyways, we should probably get up and find some breakfast before we get to the city." She slipped her shoes on and stretched her arms out in front of her before walking out of the cave. Usopp returned the gesture by sticking his tongue out at her from behind, and then followed her with Biri nearby.

[][][][][][]

The temperature was comfortably warm like the previous day, and Nami sensed no rain clouds nearby, meaning the weather was going to be absolutely perfect for at least a while. A chorus of nearby birds filled the air with a pleasant atmosphere as they joined the pounding rhythm of the waterfall, creating a beautiful soundtrack of nature. Sunlight danced through the above tree's branches, creating a beautiful display of light along the surface of the small cerulean pool. The Navigator took a deep breath and allowed the scents of nature to infiltrate her senses. Usopp trudged behind her until he was at her side, his arms feeling heavy as he hunched over and hung them next to his bent legs.

"Ugh, it's already hot," he whined with his tongue peeking out the corner of his mouth. Nami turned around and frowned at him.

"No it isn't, Usopp. We've experienced far warmer weather than this before. You're just tired and cranky."

"I am not!" he barked back.

She smirked. "I prove my point. Now, let's go find some breakfast."

Usopp's lower lip trembled as they began their departure into the forest. "I miss Sanji's cooking," he sniffled as his hands placed themselves over his grumbling stomach.

Nami's shoulders drooped sadly. "I do too," she agreed, wanting nothing more to be back on the Sunny with their friends and enjoying breakfast together.

For a while they walked in companionable silence, looking out for any signs of a potential meal. Biri would occasionally lower his beak to the ground and start sniffing around like a dog, trying to help himself and his friends find something to sate their appetite. At last they came upon a giant tree that was twice the height of all the other trees they'd come across, with a wide trunk and veins of branches and leaves crisscrossing across the sky. Nami squinted as she spotted some large objects donning the tree's extendable arms, a glimmer of hope pulsing in her chest. She raised her brows in surprise when she saw different kinds of fruit hanging amongst the tree so naturally. Pears, apples, bananas, oranges, and peaches decorated the strange tree in a unique fashion that she couldn't recall ever seeing before. Her eyes darted around to neighboring trees, but only a few held multiple fruit like the large object before her.

"Hey, you see that?" she pointed out. Usopp looked at where she was pointing out and frowned.

"Aww, can't it grow meat too?"

"Seriously?" Nami all but growled as she sent a glare towards the hunger driven Sniper. "You should be thankful we at least found something to eat!" Eyebrows furrowed in irritation, she stared upwards, trying to figure out just how they could reach their breakfast. Of course, they could just pick the fruit off of any of the neighboring trees, but she wanted the fruit off of the one before her. Nami always wanted the very best if she could take it, and to her the fruit was like treasure. Being a treasure hunter and burglar gave her an overwhelming amount of greed that drove the people around her crazy at times, but she personally didn't care. She would have the "treasure" one way or another, and she wouldn't stop until it was in her clutches, or in this case, her stomach.

"Caw?"

Her concentration now ruined, Nami turned around and saw Beri standing there with a quizzical look on his face. He flapped his lemon colored wings up and down, causing a few stray feathers to fly off. One landed on Usopp's face, earning a sneeze from the hungry Sharpshooter. Ignoring his friend's reaction, the bird pointed a wing up to the large tree in front of them, and it was then that Nami suddenly understood what he was trying to say.

"I was planning to ask you to fly for us Beri, but it isn't just that. Fruit isn't very filling, so we would need to come up with a way to grab as much as possible." The Navigator placed a finger on her chin in thought. "I suppose I can always place some in my chest if we need the extra space."

Usopp snorted. "Yeah, like those need to get bigger. Hahaha-OW!" He fell face first onto his nose as Nami's hand brutally smacked the back of his ebony head. She stepped over him like he was a puddle of mud that would only get her shoes dirty and walked over to Beri. She gave him a pat on the beak before she carefully climbed onto his back and grasped his feathers like the horn of a saddle, her thin legs pressing into his sides to provide full security against her falling off. Taking the hint that she was ready, Beri let out a squawk and lifted them both upwards into the air with ease. He flapped his wings to give off enough powerful gusts so they could propel off the ground faster and reach the higher branches with very little effort.

Usopp sat up and rubbed his reddened nose just as they took off. Dust and dirt invaded his nostrils, mouth and eyes from the flaps of Beri's wings, causing him to cough and frantically wipe away the unwanted particles from his eyes. Once he could breathe and see normally again, he glanced up and saw that his traveling companions had already landed on a branch and started gathering the fruit. "Hey, what about me!?" he called out with a wave of his arms.

Nami looked down and smirked. "Ah, hello Usopp!" she mockingly waved back. "You look smaller than usual from up here!"

"Sh-shutup!" he screeched, his face dirty and red in frustration. "I want to help too! Come on!"

The Navigator gracefully walked along the branches and began filling her arms with bananas and apples. "I think you're just scared to be down there alone," she called down in a teasing voice. "Not that I can blame you, of course. Who knows what could be crawling around here?"

His legs shook as he took Nami's words into consideration. She was right; he was down here alone without a single way to defend himself if a giant creature decided to munch on the Great Captain Usopp! "Ha! The-there's no way something like that will happen!" he argued with his arms crossed. He tried to keep his voice steady but was miserably failing. "For I am the Gr-Great Captain Usopp, and I will defeat an-any enemies that dare come across my pa-path!"

Nami rolled her eyes , well aware of just how terrified he probably was right now. He was so full of b.s. it wasn't even funny. "If you say so." She reached upwards and managed to swipe at an orange with ease. She smiled and held the fruit up to her nose. She closed her eyes and deeply inhaled the scent. It reminded her of Belle Mere and her little tangerine grove back on the Sunny. _Speaking of Belle Mere…_

She looked down at her cowardly friend, her lips pursed together as she recalled how he had consoled her during her little breakdown a couple nights ago. As far as she knew, he hadn't spoken a word about her gloominess or tears to anybody, and she hoped that it stayed that way for his sake. Still, even though he constantly lied, she knew that when he had given her his word at that moment, he had spoken the absolute truth, and she was willing to trust him. "Hey Usopp, I'll come down there and get you. Hang on a secon…" her voice trailed off as she suddenly noticed a rustle in the trees behind her friend.

"Nami, wha-what's wrong?" He began to feel panicky when he saw her eyes focused and widened towards the area behind him. The ground beneath him began to tremble up and vibrate as the unknown creature drew closer and closer to his location, until he nearly fell onto his back from the heavy quakes under his feet. The bushes directly behind him parted, and his jaw dropped, his entire body shaking in uncontrollable fear. "What is that?!" he yelped in terror, too scared to even move.

The creature in front of him was a dark shade of emerald and three times his height, with the head of a dog and the body of a large lizard. Its eyes were as red as blood and the teeth poking out of its lower jaw looked so sharp that they could probably easily snap a human in half. Saliva nastily slithered out of its mouth and over its lower lip before dropping down to the dirt flooring beneath it. Its eyes narrowed into a glare as its lips parted into a growl and revealed two rows of razor sharp teeth.

"Uh, N-Nami?" Usopp's voice grew high pitched as he took fumbling steps backwards. He seemed to trip over the air itself as he landed on his rear and was drowned in the shadow of the frightening creature that loomed over him.

"RAWRRRR!" The monster lunged at Usopp, who managed to push himself up and away by the tiniest curl of his hair. He screamed and flailed his arms as he ran for his life, the creature not far behind.

Nami was just as scared as Usopp, but she couldn't just stand there and do nothing! She forced her shaking legs to run over to Beri, who was already set to fly down to rescue their friend. All the fruit nestled in her arms dropped as she mounted her trembling body onto the bird's back. She barely had time to grab on before he took off and nose-dived towards the panicked pirate.

"Hang on Usopp!" she yelled as they circled around the Sniper, her arm reaching out towards him. Just when the beast was about to devour him, Nami managed to grab the back of his shirt and keep a firm grip as Beri soared away from the predator as fast as his wings would allow. The flying was a bit awkward with the unbalanced weight and Usopp's legs furiously kicking in the air, so Beri had no choice but to drop them off on one of the branches belonging to the large fruit tree. They landed on a thicker part of one of the branches so neither of the Straw Hats were at the risk of falling off. Usopp landed on his back with an 'oomph' while Nami landed on her stomach next to him. Beri spread his wings out and bellowed out a mighty cry before flying back down towards the creature, his wings crackling with little bolts of electricity. The unsuspecting creature spun a full 360 degrees to try and knock the bird over with its scaly tail, but Beri swiftly avoided the hit.

"CAWWWW!" He zapped the monster, causing it to howl in pain. A bright yellow glow blindingly lit up the area as lightning unforgivably continued to strike until the dog-like beast fell over with a whimper, its skin a charred black and smoke curling out of its pores. Beri triumphantly cried out and flew back up to his friends, who had watched the entire scene in admiration.

"That was awesome Beri!" Nami gushed as she ran over to their feathered friend and rubbed his beak and the top of his head, earning a few content "caws" as he reaped the positive attention.

"Hey! What about me?! I fought too!" Usopp complained once he was able to calm his racing heart and stop his body from shaking.

"Pfft, if fighting is running away then congratulations. As far as I'm aware, you didn't do a damn thing," she argued with a shake of her head. " I can't really blame you though. It's not like we were really prepared for that." She probably could've defeated the creature herself if she'd had her Climatact with her. She bit her lower lip, making a mental note to try and get a temporary substitution for the weapons while in town.

The Sharpshooter stood up and wiped the dirt off his clothes with rough pats from his sweaty hands. "Well, whatever. At least that stupid thing is defeated and we can finally eat." Agreeing that eating breakfast was definitely in order after such a scare, the two pirates indulged themselves in as much fruit as possible. Nami, of course, ate far less than Usopp, but her appetite felt satisfied. She stood on the edge of one of the branches and focused her sight on every direction to try and get an idea where they could possibly head to next. Luckily, she discovered that the city wasn't much further, judging by the way she could make out rooftops peeking out over the sea of trees they were currently caught in.

Eventually Usopp and Beri both finished their meals, and with Beri's permission the Straw Hats seated themselves as comfortably as possible on his back. Unfortunately, his back wasn't large enough for two people to ride on, so Nami was forced to sit on Usopp's lap and grab onto the large bird's neck feathers while the Sniper encircled an arm around the Navigator's small waist and used his other hand to hold onto Beri's back. It was an awkward situation, but one that didn't really leave them much of a choice as they struggled to relax while the rare duck peacock soared through the air towards their destination.

The breeze felt rather nice on their sweat-streaked faces, bringing a rather cool sensation to their skin as they enjoyed the view of the island below them. For miles all they could see were groups of trees and occasionally slivers of a stream, creating a picture of beautiful scenery that an artist could only dream to paint.

However, focusing on the environment felt a little difficult in their current sitting situation.

Nami found herself constantly moving around and trying to get comfortable, which only irritated Usopp as he struggled to keep his hold onto her. "Will you stop doing that!" he snapped, firmly pulling her against him. "You're really heavy, you know?"

She leaned forward in an uncaring manner with a glare, much to the Sniper's annoyance. "Nobody else seems to have a problem with my weight. I bet if you actually tried to not be weak we wouldn't have this problem."

His upper lip twitched. "Well maybe if your stupid chest wasn't the size of two watermelons we would be a lot more comfortable!"

"Excuse me?! I know plenty of people who would be willing to pay an _insane _amount of Biris just to take a peek at my body!"

Usopp smirked. "So you're a Navigator _and _prostitute? How _surprising!_ OW!" He let go of his hold on Nami's waist and rubbed his left side, where she had jabbed her elbow into him hard enough to leave a bruise.

"Whoops. Sorry about that," she grinned, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Beri sighed and willed himself to fly even faster to try and tune out their bickering.

[][][][][]

After what felt like forever, Beri finally neared the city.

"Drop us down near the entrance. You might draw attention if you come in with us," Nami suggested. Beri lowered his head sadly but he understood. Better to be safe than sorry after all.

"If we need you though, I'll let out a whistle for you, okay? Just listen for this." Usopp blew out a strange and unique melody that Beri would instantly recognize. It was the first few lyrics of Brook's song Binks' Sake, and the only thing Usopp could thing of at the moment. It would work though, should the need arise.

Beri landed near the entrance to the city. He had barely touched the ground before Nami quickly jumped off Usopp and stretched, thankful to no longer be cramped with that idiot. Usopp was equally as grateful, as Nami had caused his legs to fall asleep and only yelled at him when he tried to get rid of the numb feeling that traveled from his ankles to just above his knees.

The two waved goodbye to their feathered friend and watched him depart before they walked underneath an archway that read Strom City in grey block letters.

**[Music: The Avengers- Helicarrier]**

Two tall buildings made of red brick rose up on either side of them as they walked up a flight of stairs and entered the city, their eyes widening as they took in the sights around them. Multiple buildings of different height, width, and color were spread out as far as the eye could see. Directly in front of them was a water fountain that had a statue of a tree placed right at the top center, with water spouting out of the stone branches. In front of the fountain was a bulletin board that was covered in every inch by flyers and advertisements. Not too far back was an enormous clock tower that was painted a light cerulean color and had a golden railing that blocked off what appeared to be a balcony area right beneath the clock's circular face. Its arms indicated 10:30.

Perhaps what really caught the Straw Hats off guard were the circular transparent machines that looked like bubbles floating up to the balcony, which fascinated Usopp. He definitely had to get a closer look at the odd contraptions when they had time.

Even so early in the day the streets were littered with people that nearly ran Usopp and Nami over as they went on with their lives in a busy fashion. Pleasant music could be heard from multiple stores, many of which had large signs over their shops with flashing lights that were so bright not even the daylight could make them unnoticed. Scents, sounds, and sights assaulted their senses as they stood at the top of the steps and seemed to spin slowly in place in order to see everything. It had to have been the most active and exciting place that either of them had been to, and immediately Nami could feel her pupils transform into the Biri symbol.

"Well Usopp, looks like we've finally reached the city!"

_**By the way, Strom means tree...in some language. I forget which one. XD**_


	6. Watched

Thanks guys for once again being so patient! Youmacon is coming up, so I've been working on my Belle cosplay, and when I'm not doing that I'm working five days or going to school. Anyways, enough of the excuses, I'm just glad we finally made it to chapter six! Woot!  
So, what do you guys think of Brook's dubbed voice? I'm such a loser that I screamed and teared up. Haha. I'm just glad I can imagine a conversation in English now between Liara and Brook! [If you don't know who Liara is, read my other story Undying Devotion]. Anyways, please enjoy this new chapter. Things are about to get interesting. : ]

**Chapter 6: Watched**

She stared at him with a sweet smile, hands intertwined behind her back as she innocently blinked her brown eyes up at him and bounced lightly on her toes.

_"Oh shit," _was all Usopp could think as her seemingly sweet smile grew into a devilish grin. Nami had an evil idea in her head, and she was going to try and find some way to include him in her demonic plans. He sighed, his shoulders sagging in defeat. He had no way to talk himself out of whatever she was planning, and they both knew it. "What are you scheming?"

She beamed and clapped her hands together. "Why Usopp, how nice of you to volunteer in helping me!" She ignored his groan, walked over to him, and roughly patted him on the shoulder. "So, all we're going to do is walk down one of the streets and talk to each other so we blend in with the crowd and don't appear to be doing anything suspicious. While doing so, I'll snag a few goodies and everything will be great! Easy, right?" She spoke it all excitedly in a low voice so anyone walking nearby wouldn't overhear them. "I mean, even you should be able to do it!"

"Excuse me?!" he snapped in defense, a vein twitching above his left eye. Before he could so much as think of a comeback her arm hooked into his and dragged him along like they were the closest of friends.

Nami's eyes darted around to take in all the surrounding streets as she searched for one that would easily allow her to accomplish her goal. She decided that the one next to the clock tower would be the most beneficial, as it was by far the busiest and full of unsuspecting tourists who would be far too busy looking at the clock and window shopping to pay attention to the quick pair of hands that roamed through their pockets and purses. A shiver of excitement ran up her body at the mere thrill of being able to steal again. Usually one didn't brag about being a thief, but damn it all if she wasn't able to boast about just how good she really was at her profession!

The pair circled around the city-centered water fountain and approached their destined street, acting as normal as possible. Nami unlatched her arm from Usopp and stared at the lengthy cobble-stoned pavement laid out before them, her lips spreading into a grin as she took in the sight of shops practically on top of each other. Where there weren't shops were restaurants with patios littered by diners enjoying a late lunch, or small stalls with vendors standing in front broadcasting their goods. She felt like she had entered a shopper's paradise, but for the moment she needed to push the urge to shop towards the back of her mind and focus on the real task at hand. Her eyes drifted over to where Usopp stood, who gave a slight nod of the head to confirm he was ready to proceed. They moved forward, setting the plan in motion.

"So, are you excited to go shopping with me later today?" Nami cheerfully asked as they walked by a boutique with gorgeous dresses on display behind nearly invisible glass. She made a mental note to head back to that store later and check it out.

"Absolutely not!" he exclaimed with disgust evident in his voice. "Every time you force me to shop with you I'm stuck carrying all the bags, and you drag me around to all the stores for hours until my feet feel like they are going to fall off!"

She laughed and jabbed him with her elbow, earning a groan from her companion. "Oh, man up! I do it all the time, and in _heels_, might I add."

"That's your own damn fault for being a shopaholic!"

"I don't careeee," she sung out.

The two of them continued talking and bickering back and forth while weaving in and out of the thickening crowd. The air was polluted with shouting, laughter, and talking as people enjoyed their time strolling with friends and family on such a beautiful day. Even Usopp, who knew he'd been suckered into Nami's evil idea, was enjoying himself and all the excitement that buzzed through the air. Even though they had eaten not too long ago, his stomach gurgled from all the surrounding restaurant scents that mingled together and assaulted his senses. He planned to eat as soon as possible, feeling anxious to savor any dishes he came across.

Eventually they reached the end of the street and came across a spacious bazaar. Two hotels loomed over the square at opposite ends, with a few stores and restaurants on either side of them. There was another water fountain placed in the center of the square, with a statue of a man and woman dancing and completely in love with each other placed at the top of the fountain.

"Wow, that's kind of nice," Usopp pointed out as he walked closer to the fountain so he could inspect the statue's details better.

Nami had to agree that it was a rather pretty sight, but she wasn't into art as much as Usopp, so instead she looked around to get an idea of what to do next. At last she decided.

"Hey, since we don't really know how long we're going to be here, we might as well get a hotel room right?" she suggested. "I sure as Hell am not sleeping on the streets, that's for sure."

With a compliant shrug the Sharpshooter turned around. "Sure, but do we actually have enough money to stay somewhere?"

"Just trust me when I say we'll be good for at least a couple days," she replied cheerfully, indicating their little walk had been successful. "Now, how about we look at that one over there?" She pointed a slender finger towards a hotel to her left, which was a simple yet attractive building colored a brilliant white and looked to contain about five floors of rooms, each with a balcony.

"Yeah, I don't see why not. I'm not really picky," Usopp agreed as he walked towards the building.

Nami smirked and walked close behind him. "Usopp, you could sleep on a bathroom floor and be perfectly fine with it."

[][][][][][]

Two glass doors automatically slid open for them as they entered a rather refined looking lobby. Two long red velvet couches were placed symmetrically around a dark chestnut coffee table that had a thin piece of glass covering the two top of it, revealing an assortment of multicolored pebbles jumbled inside between the wood. Two matching colored armchairs sat snug in each back corner of the room with a rack of magazines placed conveniently next to the seats. A white marble fireplace that currently wasn't lit was hollowed into a wall across from the coffee table. Across the top of it was a mantle and clock that were made of black polished wood. It was a charming little area that made one instantly feel at home.

Ahead of the two pirates was a reception desk with a black marble top and auburn front with golden letters that read " The Ivory Towers". Behind the desk stood a tall, slim man in a black suit with an upturned nose, curled gray mustache, and small circular glasses. He gave a polite bow when Nami and Usopp approached the desk. "Good afternoon. How may I help you?"

The Navigator approached the desk with the most charming smile she could muster. "Hi! My friend and I were wondering if we could get a hotel room with two beds. How much would that be?"

Clearing his throat, the mustached man glanced down into an open binder and flipped through a couple pages before shaking his head. "I apologize, but the only rooms we have available at the moment contain one bed, not two."

Nami furrowed her brows. "Well, are there any hotels around here that have a room with two beds available?"

"Very unlikely," the man responded with a twitch of his mustache. "There is a rather larger ball taking place this weekend, and people from all over the Grand Line have traveled here just to take part in it and waltz the evening away."

The orange-haired woman's eyes shimmered. "Seriously?! That sounds great! Okay then, give us the room!"

[][][][][]

"Sheesh, this place is expensive!" Nami complained as her and Usopp entered an elevator. " I mean, 200 beris a_ night_?! Are they serious?"

The doors shut, enclosing the two of them within the elevator walls. The contraption gave only a little vibration before it began its smooth ascent to the fifth floor. Usopp sighed and looked upwards at the ceiling's mirror. " You're the one who claimed that 'we'd be good for a couple days'. Besides, I'm sure you'll just end up stealing more money anyways if we need it, right?"

The Navigator's face lit up. "Well yeah! I'm the best of the best when it comes to thieving, after all!"

The elevator slowed down and arrived at their floor with a gentle ping as the doors slid open. Nami pulled out their card keys, handed one to Usopp, and together they looked at the little blue signs on the wall for an indication as to where their room was.

"Let's see, we're looking for room 508," the Sharpshooter observed from his card key before looking back at the signs. The one on the top pointed to the right, where rooms 501 though 510 were located. The two friends headed in that direction before they stood in front of a white door with a card-key reader and silver door handle placed on the front of it. Nami slid her card into the slot quickly and pulled it back just as a green light lit up on the reader and a soft click was heard from inside. She twisted the handle and pushed the door open.

The room inside wasn't huge, but definitely had enough space to walk around without any problems. A king-sized bed with a white comforter and indigo pillows was stationed between two round bedside tables that were the same color as the coffee table in the lobby. Both tables had white lamps with dark blue lampshades, and the table to the right of the bed had an alarm clock with red digital numbers glowing on its screen. Across from the foot of the bed was a long dresser made of the same wood as the tables, and over the smooth piece of furniture was a wide mirror that had not so much as a smear on it. A mini fridge, a circular table, and two chairs near the sliding door that let out onto the balcony.

To the right of the room's entrance was a bathroom with a hot tub, shower, double sink, and toilet. Navy blue towels and washcloths were folded up neatly and placed along the edge of the tub and on a rack next to the sink. A small light brown basket between the two sinks contained mini bars of soap and bottles of shampoo.

Usopp proceeded to walk over to the bed and fall on his back, arms spread out and feet placed on the floor. " Now this is a bed," he complimented with a yawn and a smack of his thick lips.

Nami opened the sliding door and stepped out onto the balcony. From their room she could see the clock tower, the street they'd walked down, and a little of the plaza. She had to admit that the view was rather nice, and the room they'd paid for was also lovely. She leaned over the railing and peeked at the street below to watch some of the people go about their business without a care in the world.

[][][][][][]

Sitting on the edge of the plaza fountain was a man smoking a cigarette. His eyes were hidden from the world behind ebony sunglasses, and his auburn hair was pulled back into a long ponytail that touched just below his shoulder blades. He had been watching the Ivory Tower for a few minutes until he finally saw what he'd been looking for. Reaching into the pocket of his green flannel shirt, he pulled out a miniature den-den mushi and pressed a button at the top of its red shell. He dialed up some numbers and stood up, placing a hand into the pocket of his dark blue pants as he patiently waited for a connection.

At last a click was heard as the line was picked up, and his den-den's eyes opened up. "Yes? What is it?" asked a woman in a low voice.

The man smirked and looked up at the top floor of the hotel. " You were right. They're here."


End file.
